The *istDS for $997 or 350D w/.300mm for $1550?

[luke71]

I've researched the forums and have decided on either of these two. Initially it was just the 350D then we saw the DS for $997 and after reading all the reviews, realised the DS is on par. I don't care which one is better , either is going to be good enough for my girlfriend and I, we are travelling around Europe and are going to learn photography as we go.

In Australian dollars the DS is $997 and comes with the kit lense 18-50mm.

The 350D is $1850 with kit lense and also a ?-300mm zoom lense. But I can get the whole lot for $1550 brand new.

If I buy the DS then I suppose I'll have to fork out an extra $300ish for a Zoom lense.

QUESTIONS
1. Which for the price would you buy?
2. If I bought the DS, what zoom lense would I get?

Thanks

PS Thanks Jeisner(I think that was your name)for your reply on the Pentax thread.

[jeisner]

As for which I would buy regardless of the price see my sig ;-)

Regarding the zoom lens, you can get the Tamron 70-300 LD for $225 (last time I checked) at Elizabeth st cameras (next door to camera house)... I think I know which canon kit you are referring to and the Tamron is on par with the lens you thinking of...

If the lens you are reffering to with the 350D is the " EF 90-300mm lens. " which I guess it is as this is the one bundled at the price point you suggested in Melbourne, then the Tamron also has the advantage of Macro ability in the 180-300mm range, the photo below is a crop of a photo taken with the Tamron lens I suggested... If you do go with the canon you should buy a lens hood for the 90-300 (the Tamorn comes with one)..

http://mk23.image.pbase.com/u16/joele/upload/39037667.lavender_bee.jpg

[luke71]

've got some friends who have some friends...yadayada. So we'll see what prices I can get. But thanks for the tips and keep up the nice pics. If I finally learn photography we'll post some pics from when we're overseas.

[Rhys]

The Pentax is apparently a very good camera although the photos my wedding photographer took with a *ist D were below par in terms of white balance etc.

[Bluedog]

The Pentax is apparently a very good camera although the photos my wedding photographer took with a *ist D were below par in terms of white balance etc.

That would have been correctable if shot in RAW ... I still don't understand why with any of the DSLR's that users don't learn and shoot in RAW.

[jeisner]

That would have been correctable if shot in RAW ... I still don't understand why with any of the DSLR's that users don't learn and shoot in RAW.

Very true, and personally I think the problem was the photographer not the camera (using incorrect manual WB maybe) but at this point no way to prove that either way...

[luke71]

The lens that comes with the DS is the Sigma 18-50mm. Is this a good lens? I was in a camerahouse store and the sales guy was surprised to hear how cheap the DS was. He was thinking the price must have been just for the body when I told him otherwise he said to make sure that the lens that comes with it is the....... (I can't remember, I thought it ended in 55) So as I know nothing about lenses would that be the one he's referring to.

Well I'm getting close to the purchase.... any day now....

Cheers

[jeisner]

The lens that comes with the DS is the Sigma 18-50mm. Is this a good lens? I was in a camerahouse store and the sales guy was surprised to hear how cheap the DS was.

LOL camera house are like used car salesman, they will say anything to get you to buy off them, I can't count the number of lies they have told me, I just nod and pretend they know what they're talking about (no point fighting with them).

But there are only two Sigma lenses that get bundled with the ist DS by CRK (the distributor) that being the Sigma 18-50 and the Sigma 18-125... There is also a Pentax DA 18-55 but it costs more, that and the simga 18-50 are both standard kit type lenses there is very little between them... BTW Camera House sell the ist DS by default with the Sigma 18-50 just like JB and Teds, but neither Teds nor Camara House match JB's price... I don't even bother going in Michaels anymore, they live on a different price planet...

To be honest I don't think you should spend more on the Pentax-DA 18-55, as it would be mainly only for the Pentax name (its still a basic kit lens), save your money for now the Sigma is perfectly adequate to start with. In the future as you become more comfortable with DSLR photography you may want to upgrade your kit lens, but you should upgrade to something that is actually noticably better.

When you upgrade you could look at something like the Pentax-DA 16-45 constant f4, it is a VERY sharp high quality lens although around AUD$599 by itself, but that is for the future, the Sigma 18-50 would be as good as any kit lens to start with ;-)

I hope Camera House and Michaels (both of which I have had bad experiences with) are getting worried now about the JB camera store, the JB group has a lot of buying power and I hope they continue selling cameras and a wider range.

EDIT: Actually I just remembered something... Thats funny the Camera house asked you to check on the lens only 2 months back to put a lower price out Camera House were bundling the ist DS with the ultra cheap FAJ 28-80 (leftover in their stock maybe from film days) lens and calling it a wide angle lens.. Which it is on film but on the DS with 1.5x crop factor it is a normal to tele lens.. Ignore the car salesmen ;-)